–halve belongs to the native stratum of Dutch, and can be combined with both native and, marginally, with non-native nouns, as in curiositeitshalvefor the sake of curiosity. The suffix can be used productively, but because of its specific meaning contribution its actual use for coining new adverbs is limited. The base noun is linked to the adverbial suffix by means of the linking element -s. –halve also occurs with the inflected determiner der in derhalvetherefore, and with inflected possessive pronouns, as in onzenthalveon our behalf.

Adverbs in -halve cannot be input for further derivation.

The suffix forms a prosodic word of its own. It carries the primary stress of the adverb, on its first syllable, and preserves the location of main stress on the base word as a secondary stress, as in ambtshalve/ˌɑmtsˈhɑlvə/officially. For more information and discussion, see Diepeveen (2012, chapter 11,online version).